Fire door construction



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ATTORNEYS June 15, 1965 Filed April 4, 1960 L. F. DUSING ETAL FIRE DOOR CONSTRUCTION 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 @lo 70 a 1 l//va/ 65 /NvENToRs LEO/v F, DUS/NG CARL F GERHA/QDT CHA @L 55 E Dus/NG w @mgm alam ATTRNEYS.

United States Patent A"Office 3,189,141 Patented June 15, 1965 3,189,141 FIRE DOOR C STRUCTION Leon F. Dusing, Buffalo, Charles F. Dusing, Leroy, and Carl F. Gerhardt, Clarence, N.Y., assignors to Dusing and Hunt, Inc., Buffalo, N.Y.

Filed Apr. 4, 1960, Ser. No. 19,549 6 Claims. (Cl. 1219-46) This invention relates to re doors and particularly to re doors of the type comprising cast slabs of heat insulating core material faced with sheet metal.

In fire doors of this general type the sheet metal facing is attached to the surfaces of the slabs of core material i in various ways, as by-use of adhesives, for instance,

metal cladding or facing thereto, or both, may evolve gases or steam which develop internal pressures forcing 'the sheet metal facing material away from the core material. The ensuing buckling, warping and distortion obviously destroys the integrity and usefulness of the door as such and more particularly as a fire stop.

The present invention provides a cast slab and metal facing type of tire door construction which effectively eliminates the foregoing objection by providing predetermined and built-in egress passages for gases and steam evolved as aforesaid, whereby such gases and steam cannot be trapped in such manner as to force the sheet metal facing material from the core material. Furthermore, the above object is attained in a simple structural manner which provides a fire door which is economical to build and which is rigid and of high strength, entirely apart fromV and in addition to the qualities which are directly due to the gas and steam escape provisions which are inherent therein.

A further important object of the present invention resides in providing a sliding fire door of this general type which involves a novel upper door structure and wherein the door proper` is suspended from hangers or pendent devices in a novel manner which gives firm and rigid suspension support to the door. In general terms this latter object is accomplished by incorporating a rigid horizontal structural member within and along the upper portion of the door in such manner that the usual sheet metal skin facing extends generally about the same and in apreferred form is clamped securely thereto by an outer channel member.

The hangers or pendants engage through the outer soi channel and through the aforesaid horizontal structural p member which, as stated, isof substantial rigidity, and accordingly the suspension support is transmitted to the sheet metal skin of the door at both sides thereof in such manner that the suspension force is distributed with great uniformity along the inner and outer skin surfaces.

Afurther object of the present invention is achieved by providing flame barrier means extending upwardly vfrom the upper surface of the door proper to within the usual overlying track to prevent the passage of flames u in the normally open clearance space between the bottom of such trackgand the top of the door proper.

Representative embodiments of the principles of the present invention are illustrated in the drawings and described in detail in the following specification but it is to be understood that such embodiments are by way of example only and that re doors constructed in accordance with the principles of the present invention may assume various forms and that numerous mechanicaly modifications may be made inthe construction without departing from the spirit of the invention, the scope of which is limited only as defined in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an elevational view of a building wall having one form of the door of the present invention mounted in association with a doorway therein;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary perspective view of an upper corner of the door of FIG. l;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the door of FIG. 1 with portions thereof broken away and with other portions shown in cross section for added illustration; Y

FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view of the door of FIG. l, likewise with portions thereof broken away;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary cross sectional view of an upper edge portion of the door taken approximately on the line V-V of FIG. l;

FIG.V 6 is a fragmentary cross sectional view of a further upper edge portion of the door taken on the line Vl-VI of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary cross sectional view of a lower edge portion of the door taken onthe line VII--VH of FIG. 4;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary elevational view of an upper portion of a sliding re door and the overlying track therefor showing one form of name barrier associated therewith; and f t FIG. 9 is an end elevational view partly in cross-secn tion of the upper door and track structure of FIG. 8.

Like characters of reference denote like parts throughout the several figures of the drawings and, referring to FIG. 1, themain body of the ire door set forth herein by way of example is made up of four relatively narrow vertically extending panels designated, from left toright, by the numerals 10, 11, 12 and 13. Each of the panels comprises a slab or core of set cementitious material and each such slab has adhesively secured to `its opposite faces a sheet metal facing member, the facing sheets of the several panels 10 through 13'being designated 15 through 18, respectively. The slabs or core members of the panels 10 through 13 are of non-metallic fire-resistant insulating material of a cast cementitious nature. A preferred core material is one composed chiefly of hydrous calcium silicate available commercially and `known in the art as Kaylof The metal facing sheets 15 through 18 extend entirely across the front and rear faces of the several slabs or cores and are coterrninous therewith along the vertical side edges of the slabs as may be observed in FIG. 3. At the bottom edges of the slabs the front and rear metal facing sheets 15 through 18 -fold partially over the edges of the slab or core member as shown in FIG. 7 and at the top edges the facing sheets fold inwardly in overlapping relationship as shown at 20 in FIG. 6 in such manner as to provide a space between the overlapping flanges and the underlying top edges of the core members 0r slabs of insulating material.

In assembling a door a longitudinal bott-om channel member 22 is reinforced against longitudinal warping or ldistortion by placing therein a longitudinalv lbar 23 as shown Vin FIG. 7 and then the lower edges of the several metal faced ypanels l10 through 113 are slipped into the channel 22 and secured by sheet metal screws 24 which thread into the 4sheet metal facing members 1K5 through 18 of the panels. Bottom channel 22 has welded to its under surface a downwardly facing tracking channel Z6 3 which serves with the usual guide roller to guide the lower portion of the door in opening and closing movements, the door being of the slidin-g type in the illustrative instance set forth herein.

At the upper end ofthe door a reinforcing bar channel member 23 is slipped into place in the aforesaid vertical space between the overlapping top flanges of the sheet metal facing members 1-5 through `18 and the underlying top edges of the core members or slabs and a top `framing channel 29 is assembled over the assembly thus provided in the manner clearly illustrated in FIG. 6 and channel 29 is likewise secured to the metal facing sheets 15 through 18 by sheet metal screws 24.

The framing of the door is completed by a pair of vertical channel members `3-1 which are slipped over the outer vertical edges of the end panels 10 and 13 and likewise attached thereto by sheet metal screws 24 as shown in FIG. 3. The top and bottom channel members 29 and Z2 are of such length that they extend between the inner edges of the side channel members 31 and thus leave openings at their upper ends which Igive access to the space beneath the reinforcing channel member 28 as clearly sh-own in FIG. 2.

The several panels 19 through 13 are connected along their `abutting edge portions in a manner which will now be described with particular reference to FIG. 3. The raw unfaced edges of the slabs or cores of panels 1i) through 13 abut as shown in FlG. 3 and are marginally recessed or rabbetted at their opposite faces as there shown, the facing sheets 15 through 18 being offset as shown to follow the marginal recesses of the core members. A vertical channel member is disposed in each of the recesses thus formed, such channels being designated 32 in FIG. 3 and sheet metal screws 34 secure the same against the` underlying portions of the facing sheets 15 through 18. The joint thus formed is finished off by further vertical channel members 35, the flanges of which embrace the channels 32, and sheet metal screws 36 secure the finish channels `35 to the channels 32.

Extending across the tops of the several slabs or core members of the panels 10 through 13 are a series of edge notches 38 which are semi-circular or, more strictly speaking, semi-conical, in the illustrated inst-ance. When extreme heat causes the adhesive at the interfaces between the core members -or slabs of the panels and the facing sheets 15 through 18 to give oit steam or gas, such steam or gas can pass upwardly into the space beneath reinforcing -channel member 28, either directly or, in view of the retaining effect of top framing channel 29, through the notches 38, without causing any considerable bulging of the facing sheets 15 though 18. The same is true of gases or steam which may evolve from the bodies of the slabs r core members themselves upon extreme heating.

Steam or other gases thus reaching the longitudinal space beneath channel 23 are free to pass therealong to the upper corners of the door where egress is freely available as clearly illustrated in FIG. 2.

rFIG. illustrates the manner in which a conventional sliding door adjustable hanger 39 may be associated with the upper edge of the door by clamping engagement with t-he reinforcing channel 28, the overlapping facing sheet portions, and the top framing channel 29. The nut means attaching the hanger screw 39 to the door proper provides for vertical adjustment of the door in the usual manner.

It will further be noted that the adjusting nut means at the lower end of the hanger screw or pendant 39 clamps the inner rigid channel 28 to the :outer framing channel 29 with the overlapping upper edges of the facing sheets '1-5 through =18 securely `clamped therebetween continuously along the upper edges of the door. Thus the substantial rigidity of the reinforcing channel 28 is imparted to the upper edges of the facing sheets through 18 and CII i the top framing channel 29 whereby the entire upper edge structure of the door is thus unified and stiffened to provide a very rigid and stable upper door structure from which the remainder of the door is securely and rigidly suspended.

Reference will now be had to the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 8 and 9. `It is to be understood that the door .structure per se is the same in FIGS. 7 and 8 as in the preceding embodiment and that FIGS. 7 and 8 differ from the previously described structure .only in providing a tiame barrier or flame shield structure which is fixed to the top of the door and extends upwardly into the stationary track from which the' door is suspended.

Referring particularly to FIG. 9, a slab or core member 50 having sheet metal facing members 51 and 52 is associated yat its upper end with ia rigid channel 53 and an outer framing channel 54 in the same manner as in the previously described embodiment. A conventional supporting track 56 in the form of a downward-ly opening `channel is supported above the door opening by a plurality of bracket members 57.

A carriage 60 is provided with spaced pairs of rollers 61 ywhich bear within track formations 62 at the lower portion .of channel 56 and a hanger screw or pendant 65 extends downwardly from carriage 60 and through the channels 53 and 54 to the door structure, again in the same Way as in the previous embodiments.

A series of flame barrier or shield members are attached to the top surface of the door. In the present instance each such member comprises a base flange 68, an oblique portion 69 and a vertical flange 70. The several base flanges 69 are attached to the top of the door structure by screws 72 and the upper portions of the iiarne barrier members may be notched as indicated at 73 in FIG. 8 to clear the carriage members 60.

It will be seen from the foregoing that the upwardly extending portions of the ame barrier members close the major portion of the clearance space normally present between the top of the door proper and the bottom of the track 5-6 against direct air flow and direct passage of heat or flames.

We claim:

a 1. In a fire door, generally rectangular slab means of insulating material extending substantially the height of the door, sheet metal facing members attached to the opposite faces of said slab means, top framing channel means forming a longitudinal passage along the top of said door directly above the slab material, said longitudinal passage being open to the atmosphere at at least one end of said door, and notches along the upper edges of said slab means extending downwardly lbelow said top framing channel means to permit escape of gas from between the facing sheets and the slab means to said longitudinal passage.

2. In a fire door, a plurality of generally rectangular slabs of insulating material in side by side relation, each slab extending substantially the height of the door sheet metal facing members attached to the opposite faces of each slab, top framing channel means forming a longitudinal passage along the top of said door directly above the slab material, said longitudinal passage being open to the atmosphere at at least one end of said door, and notches along the upper edges of said slabs extending downwardly below said top framing channel means to permit escape of gas from between the facing sheets and the slabs to said longitudinal passage.

3. In a fire door, generally rectangular slab means of insulating material extending continuously substantially the height of the door, sheet metal facing members attached to the opposite faces of the slab means and continuing upwardly beyond the slabs to define a longitudinal passage along the top edge of the door, and top framing channel means adapted to close the upper side of said passage, said longitudinal passage being open to the atmosphere at at least one end of said door, and notches along the upper edges of said slab means dening passages leading downwardly from the top surfaces of the slab means to points below said top framing channel means for escape of gas which may evolve at the interfaces between said slab means and said facing members.

4. In a lire doors a plurality of generally rectangular slabs of -insulating material in side by side relation, each slab extending continuously substantially the height of the door, sheet metal facing members attached to the opposite faces of each slab and continuing upwardly beyond the slabs to define a longitudinal passage along the top edge of the door, top framing channel means adapted to close the upper side of said passage, said longitudinal passage being open to the atmosphere at at least one end of said door, and notches along the upper edges of said slabs delining passages leading downwardly from the top surfaces of the slabs to points below said top framing channel means for escape of gas which may evolve at the interfaces between said slabs and said facing members.

5. In a lirev door, generally rectangular slab means of insulating material extending cont-inuously substantially the height of the door, sheet metal facing members attached to the opposite faces of the slab means, and top framing channel means having downwardly extending flanges adapted to embrace the upper portions of said facing members and spaced above the upper ends of said slab means to form a longitudinal passage open to the atmosphere at at least one end of said door, said passage being defined along its lower side by the upper surfaces of said slab means, and notches along the upper edges of said slab means extending downwardly beneath the lower edges of the anges of said top framing channel to provide fluid communication to said longitudinal passage for gas which may evolve at the interfaces of said slab means and said facing members;

6. In a re door, a plurality of generally rectangular slabs of insulating material in side by side relation, each slab extending continuously substantially the height of of the door, sheet metal facing members attached to the opposite faces of each slab, and top framing channel means having downwardly extending anges adapted to embrace the upper portions of said facing members and spaced above the upper ends of said slabs to form a longitudinal passage open to the atmosphere at at least one end of said door, said passage being defined along its lower side by the upper surfaces of said slabs, and notches along the upper edges of said slabs extending downwardly beneath the lower edges of the flanges of said top framing channel to provide uid communication to said longitudinal passage for gas which may evolve at the interfaces of said sla-bs and said facing members.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 640,811 1/00 Reynolds 20-35 X 1,169,143 1/16 Furlong 20--19 1,257,476 2/ 18 Gervais 189--46 1,444,349 2/23 Leeds.

1,503,364 7/24 Howat 160-199 1,581,038 4/26 Thompson 189-46 1,769,757 7/30 Siegel 189-46 1,959,597 5/34 Plym 189-46 2,165,430 7/39 Weisfeld 20-35 2,433,767 12/47 Kuettel 189-46 2,878,532 3/59 Clark 20-19 HARRISON R. MOSELEY, Primary Examiner.

JOSEPH D. BEIN, GEORGE A. NINAS JR., Examiners. 

1. IN A FIRE DOOR, GENERALLY RECTANGULAR SLAB MEANS OF INSULATING MATERIAL EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY THE HEIGHT OF THE DOOR, SHEET METAL FACING MEMBERS ATTACHED TO THE OPPOSITE FACES OF SAID SLAB MEANS, TOP FRAMING CHANNEL MEANS FORMING A LONGITUDINAL PASSAGE ALONG THE TOP OF SAID DOOR DIRECTLY ABOVE THE SLAB MATERIAL, SAID LONGITUDINAL PASSAGE BEING OPEN TO THE ATMOSPHERE AT AT LEAST ONE END OF SAID DOOR, AND NOTCHES ALONG THE UPPER EDGES OF SAID SLAB MEANS EXTENDING DOWNWARDLY BELOW SAID TOP FRAMING CHANNEL MEANS TO PERMIT ESCAPE OF GAS FROM BETWEEN THE FACING SHEETS AND THE SLAB MEANS TO SAID LONGITUDINAL PASSAGE. 